What is Elder Rule and Congregational Rule?

Elder rule and congregational rule are methods of church government. Elder rule is defined as government by a plurality of godly men who “care for and spiritually oversee the churches”57 of which they are a part. These men are “called elders because of their superior wisdom and experience”58 in Christian ministry and life.

The term congregational rule is a bit confusing because the meaning has changed throughout the years. The termscongregational rule and congregationalism are often used interchangeably, resulting in confusion. Congregationalism is a denomination that was formed shortly after the Protestant Reformation. This denomination

Rejected the idea of a state church and saw believers as forming a “gathered church.” It was from the (congregational) church at Leiden that the Pilgrim Fathers sailed for American in 1620 and established congregationalism in the new world.59

Congregationalism eventually dissipated, but its doctrine of rule by autonomous congregation remained. Over time, the term congregationalism was replaced by the term congregational rule. Congregational rule is a method of church government that sees “the local congregation as independent and not subject to any outside authority.”60 Baptist churches and many independent churches embrace congregational rule under these terms.61

Congregational rule, while retaining the idea that the local church is “not subject to any outside authority,” has begun to take on a different meaning. Today, the term is often used to describe a church that is ruled by a democratic form of government. While there are leaders in the church, such as pastors and deacons, no church decision is made without the corporate church’s vote. This form of church government is particularly popular among Unitarian churches and Southern Baptist churches.

As we will see, elder rule is the correct biblical form of church government:62

The book of Acts described the beginning of the church. In this historical account, the Apostle Paul commanded various churches to elect elders to run their affairs. In Acts 20:28, Paul told the elders63 of the Ephesian church to “be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” The word “overseers” here is the Greek word episkopos.64  A different word, presbuteros, is used for “elder” in Titus 1:5.65  In Titus 1:5, Paul says, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” Two verses later, in Titus 1:7, Paul uses the same word from Acts 20:28 – episkopos – to describe the office of elder. Episkoppos and presbuteros were used interchangeably to speak of the office of elder.

What was an elder? According to the Bible, an elder was a man66 who met the moral qualifications Paul gave in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. This man was to “aspire” to the office of elder (1 Tim 3:1); he was not to be asked to lead without first showing an interest in doing so. He was to be above reproach (v. 2), the husband of one wife (v. 2), able to teach (v. 2), not addicted to wine (v. 3), and free from the love of money (v. 3). He was to manage his own household well (v. 4) and not be a new convert (v. 6). He was also to have a good reputation with those outside the church (v. 7).

Those chosen as elders were not to be alone in their leadership; they were to belong to a “body” of fellow elders. Acts 11:30; 14:23; and 15:2 mention a plurality of elders that governed affairs in the early churches. Titus 1:5 (quoted above) also refers to a multitude of elders. These elders were to guard the church against error (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:9), teach (or be able to teach; 1 Tim 3:2), and govern the church of God (1 Tim 3:5).

Nowhere in the New Testament do we see that the church was to be run by a democratic majority rule. Throughout the book of Acts (the history book of the early church) and throughout Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus (the manuals for establishing leadership in the church), we see that churches are to be led by elders. This is why elder rule is the correct and biblical form of church government.

Endnotes

57 Terry L. Miethe, The Compact Dictionary of Doctrinal Words (Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House Publishers, 1988) 79.

58 Ibid.

59 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. by Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 2001) 258.

60 Ibid.

61 Many of these Baptist and independent churches are led by elder rule. They have a governing body of elders that manage their congregation, autonomous of any outside authority.

62 For a good source on the subject of eldership, see Alexander Strauch’s Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership (Littleton, Col.: Lewis and Roth Publishers, 1995).

63 Acts 20:17 says, “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.”

64 Abbott-Smith, 174.

65 Ibid., 377.

66 1 Tim 3:1–2 and Titus 1:6 mention that elders are to be men. They are to be “men” and the “husband of one wife.” These terms cannot be used to refer to women.


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